MK Breakers faced a double-header weekend as picked up another NBL Division 2 win, overcoming Westminster Warriors 119-71 in London, before progressing into the Fifth Round of the National Cup after beating Loughborough Riders 103-83 at Bletchley Leisure Centre on Sunday evening.
Saturday’s win over Westminster Warriors ensured The Breakers extended their league winning run to five games - with the last three all seeing the Breakers score over 100 points. The Breakers and Warriors were both impressive with their scoring during the opening quarter as the Breakers led 24-20 at the end of the first. The two sides continued to score well heading into the break with Billy Beddow’s side taking a 54-44 lead into half-time.
The break certainly worked in favour of the side from Milton Keynes as they outscored their London counterparts 30-10 in the third, ensuring their lead stood at 84-54. The Breakers closed out the clash in composed fashion with the final score reading 119-71 in favour of the Breakers.
Andre Arrisol topped the scoring with 24 points, with Mike New Jr (15) and Blayne Freckleton (14) following closely behind.
Attention then turned to Sunday’s National Cup tie against NBL Division 1 side Loughborough Riders. The Breakers started the opening clash the brighter of the two sides with Dante Langley opening the scoring from the free throw line. Blayne Freckleton followed shortly after with his first successful three point attempt of the evening, adding another point from the free throw line after being fouled in the act of shooting. Mike New Jr and Jordan Spencer added another four points as they both scored their first points of the evening.
Loughborough Riders eventually scored their first points of the encounter, but both Luke Gregory and Dante Langley ensured the Breakers hit right back to bring the Breakers lead to 11 points. The visitors were slowly finding their feet in the game and their scoring from the free throw line helped them find their groove, Jordan Spencer’s five points in 30-seconds, however, gave Breakers a 18-6 points lead halfway through the opening quarter.
Chris Tawiah ensured the Breakers fans were treated to back-to-back dunks as the Centre converted twice from Jordan Spencer’s pass to maintain the Breakers 10 point lead. Riders continued their scoring to stay in touch with the Breakers, but Freckleton’s two free throws and Tawiah’s jump shot kept gave Breakers enough breathing room. The Riders closed out the scoring in the first quarter with the Breakers taking a 26-17 lead into the second quarter.
Freckleton opened the scoring for the Breakers in the second quarter as his lay up was closely followed up by Dante Langley’s successful 3 point jump shot. The Riders would cut the lead back to 10-points converting twice from the free throw line, but as the story of the First Half went, the Breakers returned the scoring at the other end, this time through Buai Luak. It was a constant back-and-forth encounter, the Riders added three points to their tally, but Tawiah made sure the Breakers maintained an advantage. A driving layup from the visitors was then closely followed by two successful free throws from Spencer.
Chris Tawiah took his tally for the evening to 10-points with his lay up, with Freckleton converting yet another three point attempt to take his tally to 11 points. Tawiah continued his impressive start to the opening half as his hook shot extended the lead to 14-points. The Breakers #25 was enjoying his evening as he converted yet another dunk before converting his own offensive rebound bringing his tally to 16 points in just nine-minutes of action.
Freckleton, determined to not let Tawiah take the scoring crown for the evening, then saw a third three point attempt added to the scoring. Tawiah, however, hit right back converting his ‘and one’ after he was fouled attempting his successful hook shot. The first half closed out with Spencer and New Jr converting one free throw each - giving the hosts a 58-34 lead at half-time.
The second-half started as the first half finished as the Breakers scored five points for no return through Gregory, New Jr and Spencer to put the Breakers up by 29 points. The Riders were scoring just as well, but the Breakers added 8 points, all from Jordan Spencer within a minute of each other. The two sides traded successful three point attempts, before Gregory and Langley both converted from inside the paint.
Jordan Spencer continued orchestrate proceedings, he converted a free throw before his three point jump shot was made to push the Breakers advantage to 30 points. The Riders would reduce the gap to 25 at the end of the third following five points from Bailey in 20-seconds as the Breakers led 86-61 heading into the final quarter.
Andre Arrisol opened the scoring in the fourth, converting two free throw attempts, before he then added a driving layup to put the Breakers up by 25 points. Tawiah added yet another dunk to his evening's work to reach 23-points. Will Issekya and Leon Henry both added their name to the scoring, before Luak’s lay up took the Breakers to within one point of 100. It was Jomi Omowa who pushed the Breakers over 100, with Issekya adding another two in the closing stages.
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